, on reforming those systems to save medicare and medicaid, social security, cutting defense, reforming the taxes, then do not meet -- if he doesn't want to meet halfway, but i've got to tell you, i am heartened with what i saw in the president's tone yesterday. i loved hearing him tell a group of americans yesterday, hey, we're going to get this thing done. i feel good about it. i love that he agreed to sit down with john boehner one on one. richard, you've done negotiations on all levels. i really liked the tone the president was sending. and by the way, i felt like charles krauthammer did a couple of days ago. because the president seemed to be saying -- and you've said it, too, along with geithner -- we won. the other side's going to cave. the president's changing his tone, and i think that is great not only for the american people, i think it's great for the president. >> i think you're right. there's a sense that people have once again remembered the basic rule of negotiation. in a funny sort of way, you've got to help the guy you're negotiating with because you need a partner to succeed. y